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Site updated on 02/08/2001
The CSFBdirect
Tournament of Champions 2001,
presented by NYSC Feb 3 - Feb 9 2001,
Grand Central Terminal, New York
Tournament of Champions Quarterfinals, Wednesday Night
TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS 2001
Martin Bronstein reporting from Grand Central Terminal Wednesday Feb 7
2000.
SECOND QUARTERFINAL SESSION, WEDNESDAY FEB 7
POWER AT A STROLL
It would easy to pun that Martin Heath was over-Powered in this quarter
final but it would be so far from the truth that I could be drummed out
of the profession. The sad truth is that Jonathon Power could have won
this from his bed. It was obvious in his second round match that Heath
was mentally fragile - his one great fault is an ability to mentally self-destruct
from a winning position. Tonight in front of a packed house in the Vanderbilt
Hall in Grand Central Terminal, Heath was finished after the first referee's
decision that didn't go his way.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES
When these two met last year in the final, Heath was full of confidence
and brio and went into the match feeling he could beat Power, an attitude
that made for a great final.
(Indeed the video of that match has become the best selling squash video
-with my commentary, let me add). Heath's confidence came from the fact
that he'd knocked out Peter Nicol in the semi-final in a way that left
no doubt that he was the better player on the day.
Power won in four and in two further meetings, Power had repeated the victory by the same score. But tonight Heath failed to get on to his toes and his whole body language was that of a loser. Power won 15-6, 15-5, 15-5 in 44 minutes in a totally unsatisfactory match that never caught light. There were perhaps eight rallies that went beyond ten strokes and in the second game Heath gave up eight errors - without being under pressure.
POWER: WHAT A NICE YOUNG MAN
Jonathon (The Mouth) Power was nowhere to be seen. Instead we had this
well-behaved young man who smiled rather than scowled and argued, smilingly,
but once. Heath appealed every call without success and shrugged in defeat
at each denial. Power was rather good under the circumstance, lightning
fast, impeccable shot selection and now hitting his special half-court
deeply cut cross-court from both sides of his racket.
I have said it before and it bears repeating: Power is incredibly fast: fast brain, fast hands, fast body. Even when caught going the wrong way, he has the ability and speed to stop, reverse and reach 100 miles an hour in half a nano-second. There is little more to write because not a great deal happened. Jonathon Power will be sharp but not tired for tomorrow's semi-final, which is not good news for his opponent.
EVANS UNDERLINES CLAIM
When Simon Parke faced David Evans in the quarter-finals, there was more
at stake than a place in the semis against Jonathon Power. It was Evans
who replaced Parke as world number three in the latest rankings and the
winner would certainly that spot again. But Evans underlined his claim
to the sport behind Nicol and Power with a display of controlled squash
that was a joy to behold.
He said later that he felt Parke was still tired from his marathon battle against Del Harris in the previous round. This was not obvious after a 24 minute first game which Evans won 17-14. Nor did it seem so as Parke came out full of vigour for the second and ran to a 6-3 lead. Suddenly it all changed and Evans took nine points in a row - the last four points on very cheap Parke errors.
EVANS HITS, PARKE RUNS
From that point on, Evans controlled most of the rallies and Parke did
an awful lot of running to keep the rallies going. Evans won the second
game 15-7 and Parke again started the new game with élan - an inside-out
drop completely bedazzled Evans and brought whoops from the crowd. Parke
finished the next rally with a cracking cross-court smash into the nick.
More whoops from the audience. Parke led 5-3, Evans got back and they
reached 8-all - that moment of truth. True enough, it was Evans who pushed
through, superb placements, tight drives, inch perfect drops while Parke
ran and sprinted and twisted and turned to no avail as Evans went through
to win 15-10. They had been on court an hour and Parke had run three times
as much as Evans.
"I always feel comfortable playing Simon because I'm confident. Our styles clash and while I lose to him, I always win the big matches," said a happy Evans after the 63 minute match was over.
Asked about his semi-final against Power he said he looked forward to it and would phone his coach, Aussie Chris Robertson, who is now the Welsh national coach, to discuss tactics.
"I lost to Power in the US Open 3/0 but it was close. I' ve got to try and frustrate him at the front of the court where he is so good," Evans says. Regardless of the outcome - and if any player here can beat Power, Evans has the ammunition, Evans has clearly underlined his claim to world number three.
SARAH IS STRONGER
It was a match until two thirds of the way
through the second game - where the score stood 12-12, but at that point
Sarah Fitz-Gerald took off and left Vicky Botwright watching from behind
as Sarah powered along, taking the third and final game 9-1.
The Final Friday between Sarah Fitz-Gerald and Vanessa Atkinson pitches two strong players and should be a good exhibition of the best of women's squash.
QUARTERFINAL
RESULTS:
TUESDAY
Peter Nicol (Sco) beat Paul Johnson (Eng) 15-12,
15-9, 11-15, 15-6
Paul Price (Aus) beat Graham
Ryding (Can) 15-14, 13-15, 15-9, 15-7
WEDNESDAY
Jonathon Power (CAN) def Martin Heath (SCO) 15-6, 15-5, 15-5
David Evans (WAL) def Simon Parke (ENG) 17-14, 15-7, 15-10
